A local Alamo Pack 53 Cubscout and Alamo City School student collected Christmas gifts for children at St. Jude as well as the pediatric ward at Jackson General Hospital.
Kaidence McCurry, is a seven year old Wolf Scout and second grader, who has asked Santa to ensure the children at St. Jude receive Christmas presents for the past two years.
In the 2018 Crockett County Times Letters to Santa, Kaidence wrote, “Dear Santa,
This year I want to make sure all the kids at St. Jude get Christmas presents. They deserve presents to make them happy. I would really like to have an untamed skeleton TRex. My little brother Zaiden wants cars. My dog ninja wants a new chew toy. My nana wants new earrings. My mama needs a new smart TV because my brother broke hers. I also want a new laptop. Thank you!”
It touched his mother, Emily Elrod, to see her sons’ generous heart and they collected 30 packets with coloring books to send to St. Jude.
Kaidence’s 2019 letter to Santa proved to show the children receiving treatment at St. Jude continued to be in his young thoughts throughout the holidays. He said, “Dear Santa,
I would like to have a new nerf gun for Christmas. I would also like a remote control dragon. I want all the kids at St. Jude to have happiness on Christmas day. My little brother Zaiden wants new cars. My dog ninja wants new chew toys. I want new xbox 360 games too! Thank you so much Santa for being so nice.”
His peers and so many more helped him insure the children in St. Jude during Christmas each received a gift. He set a goal of 80 Play Packs that include a coloring book, crayons and stickers because he had read online that St. Jude had 79 beds. Unsure if that was a correct number, his goal became 80 but his mother encouraged him to do more.
She challenged him to collect 100 Play Packs and she would let him throw a pie in her face.
He accepted the challenge and collected 126 Play Packs, allowing him to send 100 to St. Jude and deliver 26 to Jackson General Hospital pediatrics ward.
The Crockett County Times Letters to Santa end with second grade but he wanted to make sure the community knew he would continue his tradition of giving a gift to the children at St. Jude and other pediatric areas with donations of Play Packs. Packs may be donated by contacting Emily Elrod on Facebook or by leaving them with Cubmaster, Adam Buckingham, at any Pack meeting on Thursdays at 6 p.m. at Alamo First United Methodist Church.
